- Title: COLOMBIA: Colombia strike disrupts food supplies
- Date: 26th August 2013
- Summary: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (AUGUST 26, 2013) (REUTERS) TOP VIEW OF BOGOTA'S CENTRAL FOOD WHOLESALE MARKET VARIOUS OF MARKET PLACE WITH VERY LITTLE PRODUCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MERCHANT CARLOS QUIROGA, SAYING: "It's a terrible situation because we live off this business and nothing is arriving at all, and if we don't have anything then there is nothing to sell so in these moments
- Embargoed: 10th September 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Colombia
- Country: Colombia
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA7H3XIFVXIOOM1GSP76QLFPXV4
- Story Text: The protests by thousands of farmers across Colombia continued on Monday (August 26) as dozens of roadblocks snarled travel on Colombia's highways and prevented produce getting to market.
Bogota's main wholesale market for fruit and vegetables remained empty and merchants and vendors complained that they had no produce to sell as a result of the on going protests.
"It's a terrible situation because we live off this business and nothing is arriving at all, and if we don't have anything then there is nothing to sell so in these moments we are waiting for the president to act on this situation and find a solution," said Carlos Quiroga, who owns a vegetable stall in Bogota.
The demonstrations, which began on Monday August 19, are the second wave of so-called national strikes against President Juan Manuel Santos' agriculture and economic policies which farmers say leave them unable to make any profit.
Aside from setting up roadblocks, protesters have also been destroying their produce and throwing into the streets.
"It is not only protests and complaints, there has to be solutions, solutions for the agricultural sector," said one unidentified protester in Remolino, in northern Colombia.
The protest have become ever more violent, as authorities have sought to quell the protests by using tear gas and water cannon.
Much of the violence has taken place in central Boyaca province, a key farming area, as well as southwestern Cauca, and has been edging close to the capital, Bogota.
In Cauca on Sunday (August 25), riot police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the protesters.
In the city of Tunja north east of the capital Bogota, hundreds of residents, including children, marched in a night protest on Sunday and banged pots and pans in support of the farmers.
"The communities of Tunja and Boyaca are tired of the national government because they don't take us into consideration. As you can seem Colombia, and all of Boyaca are united in this national strike. We want the president to pay attention to the demands and the villagers, which are just," said an unidentified marcher.
Potato, corn and milk producers complain that free trade agreements with Europe and the United States have made it difficult to compete with cheap imports.
Some coffee growers have joined the protests, seeking more effort by the government to weaken the currency. They also want help to pay for fertilizers and other farming chemicals.
The Colombian government has condemned the violence and said the protest movement has been infiltrated by Marxist FARC rebels. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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